Indians notes: Vinnie Pestano placed on disabled list for first time

Vinnie Pestano has never been on the disabled list until now -- and it's only because the Indians want to be ultra-careful with their bullpen, which is one of their strengths.

Just prior to Monday's game against Oakland, the Indians placed Pestano on the disabled list for the first time in his career. Pestano has tendinitis in his right elbow, and the Indians want to be certain they err on the side of caution with their valuable eighth-inning setup man.

Manager Terry Francona said he had ongoing daily dialogue with Pestano on the condition of his elbow. Pestano hasn't pitched in a game since April 28 and he was unsure if he could pitch on consecutive days, so the Indians decided to put him on the DL and bring up lefty Nick

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Hagadone from Columbus to replace him in the bullpen.

"We'd rather go with Hagadone than have Vinnie go out there at less than 100 percent," Francona said. "What we didn't want to have happen was to wait this long, then have him pitch once and then go on the DL."

Pestano was placed on the DL back-dated to May 1, meaning he is eligible to be activated on May 16.

The power plant

The Indians, who finished 12th in the American League in home runs last year, went into Tuesday's game tied with Atlanta for the major-league lead with 44, and the Indians have played two fewer games than the Braves.

Last year, the Indians didn't hit their 44th home run until June 6. The Indians this year have hit four home runs in a game four times. They did that just once all last year.

At their current pace, the Indians would easily break the team record for home runs in a season. At their current pace, they would hit 246 home runs. The club record is 221, set in 2000. The Indians haven't hit 200 home runs since 2005. They hit 136 last year.

Asked if he was surprised by the club's long ball prowess this year, Francona said, "We do have a lot of potential power. But the idea is to cover every area. To be able to run, to be able to hit the ball out of the ballpark and to do it consistently. That's part of the fun of this game, you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I think you guys (the media) get more carried away with the home runs. What we care about is scoring runs any way we can."

Knock it off

After Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning Monday off Oakland's Jarrod Parker, Parker hit Mark Reynolds on the left shoulder with a pitch. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez immediately issued warnings to both benches.

Francona went out to talk with Hernandez after the warnings.

"I said to him, 'If you thought he (Parker) hit him (Reynolds) on purpose, why not throw him out of the game?' " Francona said. "He (Hernandez) said he didn't think he did it on purpose but he wanted to keep the game in line."

Reynolds said he wasn't sure if Parker was throwing at him.

"I'd like to think he just overthrew a fastball," he said.

Said Parker, who was a teammate of Reynolds on the Diamondbacks: "It slipped. I was with Mark in Arizona. (Hernandez) did the right thing with the warning. It wasn't intentional, 100 percent. It's just the way the game goes."

Oakland manager Bob Melvin also went out to talk to Hernandez.

"He told me, 'I know he didn't hit him on purpose, but it looks bad and I have to do my job,' " Melvin said.

Day off

Francona gave Michael Brantley a day off Tuesday.

"He's been playing a lot and they (Oakland) have a left-hander (Tommy Milone) going tonight," Francona said before the game.

Mike Aviles replaced Brantley in left field, and Drew Stubbs replaced Brantley in the leadoff spot of the lineup.

Notes

Lonnie Chisenhall, who is struggling vs. left-handed pitchers, hitting .095 (2-for-21), was not in the starting lineup Tuesday. ... Ezequiel Carrera, designated for assignment by the Indians on Sunday, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Columbus. ... With two outs and runners in scoring position, the Indians are hitting .321, the second-best mark in the majors behind St. Louis (.363). ... The Indians' seven home runs with two outs and runners in scoring position are the most in the majors. ... Justin Masterson (4-2, 3.64) will face A.J. Griffin (3-2, 3.79) at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.